Thill-coupling



(No Model.) l

F. V. STEVBNS,S1.

A THILL GOUPLING. No. 593,134, Patented Nov., 2,1897. I

ATTORNEYS.

Pnrnrrr trice.

FRANK V. STVENS, SIR., OF BROOKLYN, NEW7 YORK.

THILL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,134, dated November 2, 1897.

Application filed June ll, 17897. Serial No. 640,373. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, FRANK V. STEVENS, Sr.,

of Brooklyn in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved rlhill-Coupling, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved fastening device for Jchill-couplings which will be simple, durable, and economic and positive in its action, being adapted as a substitute for set screws, bolts and nuts, or equivalentdevices that have been heretofore employed.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts-in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through an axle to which the thill-coiiplingis applied, the coupling being shown open and in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the coupling open;

' and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the couplingclosed upon the bolt or pin of the thill-iron, a portion of the looking device being shown in section, likewise the axle.

In the form of coupling illustrated a bar 10 is horizontally projected from one member of a clip 11, which is adapted to span the axle 12 in the usual manner. The forward end of the arm or bar 10 of the coupling is reduced in thickness and is upwardly curved, as shown at 13, in order to form a semicircular or segmental socket 11 in the upper face of said arm. A cap-plate 15 is adapted to close over the socket 14. The cap-plate is connected with the forward or curved end of the arm or har 10 by a hinge 16, and the body of the capplate is preferably arched; but in any event a semiciroular recess 17 is made in the under face of the body corresponding to the' socket 1e in the arm or bar 10, the recess 17, which is likewise a socket, being adapted to register With the recess 14 and form a seat or bearing for the pin or bolt B, carried by the -thilliron B.

The cap-plate 15 at its free end is provided with an extension 18, the bottom whereof is fiat, and this fiat portion of the extension,

when the cap-plate is carried down upon the bar or arm 10, is intended to bear upon an elastic cushion 19, preferably of rubber, which is secured in a recess 20,1nade in the upper face of the bar or arm 10. adjacent'to the socket In fact, the forward end of the cushion forms a portion of the rear Wall of this socket, as shown in Fig. 1.

lVhere the extension 1S connects with the body of the capplate 15 a transverse groove 21 is made in the upper face of the extension, the groove being somewhat ll-shaped in crosssection and the upper surface of the extension of the cap-plate, from the wall of the said groove to the rear end of said extension, is

cylindrical and more or less curved at 22, although the said surface may be inclined instead.

The fastening or locking device A, which is the main feature of the invention, is in the nature of a loop or clasp, comprising side bars 23, substantially of S shape, but which maybe otherwise curved, an upper cross-bar 21, and a bottom and wider cross-bar 25. The bottom and Wider cross-bar 25 is preferably flat and inclinesto the rear When the clasp is in locking position, while the upper cross-bar 2l is usually more or less pointed at the top and so shaped at the bottom that it may travel up the inclined or cylindrical surface 22 of the cap-plate and fit into the groove 21.

The horizontal bar or arm 10 of the thilliron passes through the opening 26 in the loop 0r clasp, whereby the side bars of the latter are outside of the said bar or arm 10, and the clasp is pivotally attached to the said bar or arm 10 through the medium of a pivot-bolt 27.

Although the loop-clasp maybe used alone with perfect results, it is sometimes desirable that a spring-latch 28 should be employed, which is attached to the bottom portion of the clip and is provided with a head 28, arranged for engagement with the front face of the bottom or handle bar 25 of the loop-clasp when the clasp is in locking position, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

In operation the cap-plate is opened from the bar or arm 10 when the pin B of the thilliron is to be introduced into the coupling. The cap-plate is then closed down on the body portion of the coupling, the extension of the cap-plate resting upon the cushion 19.

IOO

'groove or channel 2l.

The loop-olasp,which at this time will have its upper portion carried to the rear, as shown in Fig. 1, will now have the said upper portion forced up over the inclined or cylindrical surface 22 of the cap-plate by carrying the handle-bar 25 rearward until the upper cross-bar 24 of the loop-clasp will have entered the i The cushion will yield sufficiently to admit of such a locking arrangement between the coupling and the loopclasp, and the cushion will prevent rattling,

and, furthermore, will fill up all the space between the two members of the coupling, so as to prevent dust or foreign matter settling and injuring the rubber in casin g the thill-bolt and other parts. After the loopclasp has been carried to its locking` position it may be secured in such position by the latch 2S, al-

though, as heretofore stated, the latch is not 'i deemed absolutely necessary.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters i Patent-` a fixed member and a hinged member, and a Q cushion upon which the free end of the hinged member is adapted to rest, the free end of the said hinged member having its upper surface inclined from its free end in direction Aof its hinged end and provided with a recess at the higher portion of said inclined surface, of a loop-clasp pivoted on .the fixed member and provided with an upper cross-bar and a lower handle-bar, the upper cross -bar being arranged to travel over the inclined surface of the hinged member of the coupling and enter the recess therein.

2. In a thill-coupling, the combinatiomwith a fixed member and a hinged member, the hinged member being provided with a fiat under surface at its free end, an inclined upper surface and a recess at one end of the inclined surface, and an elastic cushion carried by the fixed member, adapted for engagement with the fiat portion 'of the hinged member, of a loop-clasp through Which the fixed member passes, the loop-clasp being pivoted to the fixed member, having a handle-section extending below the fixed member and a barsection extending over the fixed member, the bar-section being adapted to travel up the inclined surface of the hinged member and enter the recess therein. Y

3. In a thill-coupling, the combination,with a fixed member and a hinged member, the hinged member being provided with a flat under surface at its free end, an inclined upper surface and a recess at one `end of the inclined surface, and an elastic cushion 'carried by the xed member, adapted vfor en gageg ment with the flat portion of the hinged mem- 1. In a thill-coupling, the combinatiomwith ber, of a loop-clasp through Vwhich the fixed member passes, the loop-clasp being pivoted to the fixed member, having a handlesecti'ou extending below the fixed member 'and a bar- 1 section extending over the fixed member, the

bar-section being adapted to travel up the inclined surface of the hinged member and enter the recess therein, said loop-clasp being shaped substantially as the letter S, and a latch for said clasp, all arranged for operation substantially as described.

FRANK V1. STEVENS, SR. Witnesses:

1T. FRED. ACKER, JNO. M. RITTER. 

